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Published:   |   Last Updated: January 31, 2025

Wait to Receive Your W-2 Form or Other Income Statements to File your Tax Return

TAS wants to help you avoid common tax processing or refund delivery delays this season. One way is to wait until you’ve received all of your final wage and income statements, such as Forms W-2 or 1099.

Why should I wait?

Your final income statement may include amounts that weren’t included in a regular pay statement. Those differences may include end of the year payroll adjustments, bonuses, or tips.

If the figures on your tax return don’t match what your employer, school, or bank reports, your return could be delayed.

IRS cross-checks these income amounts

The IRS checks the income amounts you claim on you return against the forms and information filed by others, like employers. This can include wages, interest, stocks, and other income related amounts. The IRS uses information matching to strengthen security reviews that help protect against identity theft and refund fraud.

During this cross-check process, if IRS records don’t match what you report on your tax return, they could stop processing the return to resolve the discrepancy – delaying the return and any refunds due you. You may receive a notice from the IRS informing you of the delay. That’s why it is so critical that you wait until you receive final year-end income related documents before filing, so there won’t be any discrepancies.

If you receive an IRS notice or letter about this, don’t wait to respond. See our I Got A Notice From The IRS Get Help page, use our Taxpayer Roadmap Notice look-up feature or use IRS’s Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter page for more information on what the correspondence means, what you need to know or do, and the timeframe/due date you must reply by.

Avoid having to amend your tax return

Amending your tax return after filing your taxes to report additional income missed on your original return this return can take months to process. So, it really is worth waiting to file until all final income documents are received to avoid having to file an amended tax return.

Didn’t receive an income-related form?

Your employer and educational institutions have until January 31, 2025, to send your W-2, Form 1098-T, and other income forms. Some exceptions to this rule may apply. The due date for other forms such as Forms 1099-B, 1099-S, and 1099-MISC (if amounts are reported in box 8 or 14) is generally February 18, 2025.

Please note that different due dates may apply to other forms and versions of the Form 1099.

Follow these other tax filing tips

Remember – the fastest way to file and get your refund is by doing so electronically. The IRS has several different ways that you can e-file your taxes, and some of them may even be free.

Signing up for an online account is a great way to access your tax records, make payments and view any balances.

If you’re paying someone to do your taxes for you, make sure you’re using a reputable tax preparer. If you prepare your own tax return, take a look at these tips to avoid common federal tax filing errors that will help you avoid most processing delays. Keep this handout nearby as you are completing your tax return.

You can also visit our TAS Tax Tips Page throughout the tax filing season to see updated information as it is released.

View Notice Online:

View your federal tax records and manage your communication preferences online

Sign in to your Online Account to:

  • Make payments
  • Go paperless for certain notices
  • Get email notifications for new notices

Additional Resources

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